All four semi-finalists from RWC Sevens 2013 in Moscow (New Zealand, Canada, Spain and USA) qualified automatically for the 2018 edition of the tournament. Under the agreed qualification process, the top four teams outside of those four at the 2016-17 series, can progress to San Francisco.

Tickets for the rugby sevens extravaganza will go on general sale on 20 July – exactly one year to go – but fans who subscribe to the RWC Sevens newsletter will receive advance access to tickets ahead of the general public.

Subscribers to the RWC Sevens 2018 newsletter will receive a special promotional code giving them advance access.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “Congratulations to Australia, Fiji, Russia and France for securing their place at RWC Sevens next year.

"The quality we saw in Clermont was a reminder of what great rugby will be on display in AT&T Park in July 2018. Being staged in the vibrant and diverse city of San Francisco, Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 is going to take the tournament to new heights as the standard of men’s and women’s sevens continues to amaze.”

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The iconic AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, will provide the spectacular backdrop to the tournament that features 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams competing for the title of world champions. The 42,000-seater stadium is one of the most familiar and highest-rated sports venues in the USA and is located in downtown San Francisco, along the waterfront overlooking the bay.

This will be the seventh staging of the tournament, which has previously been held in Edinburgh, Hong Kong (twice), Mar del Plata, Dubai and Moscow. Having won both the men's and women's events in 2013, New Zealand will be back to defend their titles but will likely face considerable resistance in the form of Olympic gold medallists, Australia (women's) and Fiji (men's), not to mention strong home competition from both USA sides.